Immediate-past governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, has revealed how he was poisoned in 2018 at the campaign secretariat of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the State and experienced liver and kidney failure.
The former governor said he was diagnosed of multiple organ failure in a hospital in Beirut, Lebanon.
He recalled that on one fateful Sunday in December 2018 when he was due to attend the thanksgiving programme of his then Chief of Staff, Chief Emeka Woke, he was incapacitated to attend the event because, according to him, he had been poisoned.
Wike spoke on Sunday at the family thanksgiving service organised in his honour at St. Peter’s Anglican Church, Rumuepirikom Deanery of the Diocese of Niger Delta North.
The former governor said: “From that Sunday, I never came down from my room. It was bad, but those who attended the January 1st State banquet of 2019, will know that I never spoke that day. I just sat down there and I told my deputy governor to speak on my behalf.
“People didn’t know what was going on. After that banquet, by 12 midnight, I was taken out of the country because I thought it was over.
When we got to Beirut, the doctors looked at me and I was looking at them. They were not telling me anything, they said we have to do many tests.”
He added that the next morning, the doctors returned and presented a gloomy report that his kidney and liver were no longer functioning.
Wike said: “I never knew that I had been poisoned in our campaign secretariat. My intestinal were all black. The doctors did all they could do.
“But, through divine providence, what would have been a disastrous situation was miraculously turned around by God, who immediately began to restore my failed organs.”
Wike said within one week, God healed him and he was able to return to Nigeria to continue with the 2019 campaign for his second term in office.
Also, the former Rivers State governor also recalled that days leading the the 2022 PDP presidential primary election, his wife, Hon. Justice Eberechi Suzzette Nyesom-Wike, called him from London that she had been diagnosed of cancer.
He said he was devastated by the news and even contemplated leaving the presidential race, but his wife urged him not to do so, adding that, to the glory of God, his wife was eventually healed of cancer and her life preserved.
“God went further to grant me and the state a smooth political transition amidst gang-up that was staged by the same people who promised to abide by the collective decision of Rivers elders over who becomes my successor.”
He stated that because the right successor was chosen, he was enjoying peace.
Speaking at the event, incumbent Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, said he is part of Wike’s political family, which was attacked by political foes, but the enemies failed to achieve their objectives.
Fubara stressed that because of the culture of thanksgiving to God, the former governor has continued to experience political victories.
On his part, the Bishop, Diocese of Niger Delta North of the Anglican Communion, Rt. Rev. Wisdom Ihunwo, admonished the congregation to always remember that without God, no man can attain any position.
Dignitaries, who graced the thanksgiving, included President Bola Tinubu, who was represented by Lagos State governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu; Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio, and Deputy Senate President, Senator Jibrin Barau.
Also present were Governors Seyi Makinde (Oyo), Hope Uzodinma (Imo), Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri (Adamawa), Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru (Ebonyi) and Caleb Manasseh Mutfwang (Plateau).
Other dignitaries included the former Governors David Umahi (Ebonyi), Kayode Fayemi (Ekiti), Ayo Fayose (Ekiti), James Ibori (Delta), Dr Peter Odili (Rivers), Samuel Ortom (Benue), Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu), Dr Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia), Abdullahi Umar Ganduje (Kano), Ibrahim Hassan Dankwambo (Gombe), Jonah David Jang (Plateau) and Olusegun Mimiko (Ondo).
Members of the Senate, House of Representatives as well as the Rivers State House of Assembly also graced the occasion.